WHCRA or TMI?

Remember the old classic Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons? The ones with the alternate title? Well that format seems to fit the format for this update, besides that it tickles my fancy and makes me smile!

WHCRA stands for Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act. Signed into law on October 21, 1998. The purpose of the law is to require the following mastectomy benefits:
-reconstruction of the breast that was removed by mastectomy

-surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to make the breasts look symmetrical or balanced after mastectomy

-any external breast prostheses (breast from that fits into a bra) that are needed before or during reconstruction

-any physical complications at all stages of mastectomy, including lymphedema.

TMI stands for Too Much Information. Which this update may contain. But it has been my goal to share my experience with others, to increase knowledge which of course is power.

So why am I talking about laws that refer to a mastectomy? After all I didn’t have a mastectomy….. Or did I?

Definition of Lumpectomy according to Right Health web site:
Lumpectomy; Wide local excision; Excisional biopsy; Limited breast surgery; Segmental mastectomy: Breast conservation therapy or surgery; Tylectomy; Breast sparing surgery; Partial mastectomy; Segmental breast excision

Actually a lumpectomy is really just a modified mastectomy, so the law does apply to me.

Let’s go back in time to April of 2008, when I was diagnosed and meeting with my surgical oncologist. At that time I was given the option of having reconstruction on the affected (cancerous) breast at the time of the lumpectomy. My first reaction was to do as little as possible. But I asked questions, the questions I asked was basically would insurance cover a reduction on the larger, healthier breast after I was done with the adjuvant therapies?* I was told then about the law that required insurance companies to cover this which is called: acquired breast asymmetry. So being the very pragmatic person I am, I decided to not go through augmentation/reconstruction on the affected breast.


adjuvant therapy (A-joo-vant THAYR-uh-pee)

Additional cancer treatment given after the primary treatment to lower the risk that the cancer will come back. Adjuvant therapy may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, or biological therapy.
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Now, after my 16 rounds of chemotherapy and my 38 sessions of radiation are complete I am on the road to feeling more like Lynn again. However when I look at myself in the mirror or glance down, I see a lopsided fruit plate! I told my husband it was like having a grapefruit and an orange. “Frankly” he replied, “it is more like a grapefruit and an apple”. Too funny! Anyway, so I could be like a fruit salad and use whipped cream to even things out (translate to padding or prostheses) but that is a bit messy and tedious. I could just continue to be lopsided, but traditional bras now bruise me due to the ill fit.

So this Thursday the 24th of September I am having a reduction mammaplasty!
I have been referred to a wonderful plastic surgeon who has been the surgeon for many of my new sisters! Here is a link to his information:

http://www.iowaclinicplasticsurgeons.com/dr_konstantinos_lekkas_md.cfm

As always, I thank each and everyone of you for your prayers and good wishes, you have made my journey so much easier! Hopefully I am helping you understand what a friend or family member may be going through who is not as outspoken as I!